2017 GTi PP at VIR

[jmason]

... i got a Solo 2 DL and its been great...

Looking at some AIM documentation, it's not obvious that this product supports the OBD connection for the Mk 7. It's working for you? Just curious.

 

[TXBDan1]

Looking at some AIM documentation, it's not obvious that this product supports the OBD connection for the Mk 7. It's working for you? Just curious.

I haven't used it with my VW, but i searched a little and it seems the CANBUS present on the OBD2 connector isn't the vehicle CANBUS with all the interesting sensors.
https://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?7587506-AiM-Solo-DL-Help

There is an AIM Sports User Group on Facebook that is very helpful, you might want to ask there. Worst case just get the non "DL" Aim Solo 2, it has most of what you need baked in for driving analysis.


My setup in the E36 is using a RaceCapture Pro to connect to all of my analog sensors and i then programmed it to spoof Haltech ECU protocol on the CANBUS so that the Aim Solo 2 could read it. Sort of a weird situation. I started with the RCP and it's software sucked (but tablet dash is cool) so i added the Aim Solo 2 DL to log everything and get into their data ecosystem.

 

[Cliff]

Looking at some AIM documentation, it's not obvious that this product supports the OBD connection for the Mk 7. It's working for you? Just curious.

OBDII works fine. CAN bus, which is what I am using, works with limitations: https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showpost.php?p=752187&postcount=2

 

[Mini7]

With stage 2 when I ran during a 50F ambient day, I was hitting 270 after 15 mins. That was WITH an intercooler. Without the intercooler I hit 285 in similar conditions. The direzza Z3 were overheated by the 15 min mark anyway. Honestly you're pushing hard and on grippy tires, so you're probably spending more time on power. I'd expect temps to go up as you get faster still.

Which wheel are you running now? 255/40 makes so much more sense! Haha

The nature of VIR means that you are on the gas down the three straights. So I’m curious whether a dual-pass high capacity aluminum radiator would help drive down the oil temps more?

I'm curious as to how much the engine derated based on the oil temps. I couldn’t match my pace from my mid March DE.

I mounted the 255’s on RSE16’s. 17x8.5 et45’s . A 9” wheel could be squeezed under the fender. I thought that I may have needed a fender roll. I had no rubbing issues at the track and I run my fair share of curbs. Even with my SuperPro LCA.

Now all I need is to get Apex to produce a set of wheels so I can upgrade my rotors on my PowerBrake BBK to 350mm.

 

[Cliff]

I mounted the 255’s on RSE16’s. 17x8.5 et45’s . A 9” wheel could be squeezed under the fender. I thought that I may have needed a fender roll. I had no rubbing issues at the track and I run my fair share of curbs. Even with my SuperPro LCA.

NT01 tires?

The 255/35R18 ZIII's sitting in my garage should have no issues then.

 

[Mini7]

Yes NT01’s

 

[victorofhavoc]

The nature of VIR means that you are on the gas down the three straights. So I’m curious whether a dual-pass high capacity aluminum radiator would help drive down the oil temps more?

I'm curious as to how much the engine derated based on the oil temps. I couldn’t match my pace from my mid March DE.

I mounted the 255’s on RSE16’s. 17x8.5 et45’s . A 9” wheel could be squeezed under the fender. I thought that I may have needed a fender roll. I had no rubbing issues at the track and I run my fair share of curbs. Even with my SuperPro LCA.

Now all I need is to get Apex to produce a set of wheels so I can upgrade my rotors on my PowerBrake BBK to 350mm.

Aluminum radiator would definitely help, but honestly a well vented hood and an oil cooler would be far more effective. The issue for me wasn't water temp. Water never budged actually. The issue was oil temp.

The engine definitely starts to cut power above 265 oil temp. Part of that was also 30k miles on stock plugs and 7k miles at stage 2, plenty on track. At 275+, it doesn't even feel like it pulls anymore after 5200 rpm. Short shifting keeps you in meatier torque at these times and let's temps recover, without killing your top speed too much.

Those are cool looking wheels. I keep considering them but I'd really prefer a 17x9 and a bit lighter weight. I might just end up getting them for my front though. I have considered if I get them, they fit the neuspeed 6pot calipers. Those, with a quality two piece rotor and some vents fed from naca ducts in the under tray would be a tight but workable fit under a 17".

Did you do the fender screw mod, or they just fit?

 

[Mini7]

I did the fender screw mod as a precaution. But they did not rub.

I agree that an oil cooler is required for track work. No question.

A 9” wheel will need a 5mm spacer in the rear to clear the shock tube. In the front some increased camber will help tuck the wheel. -2.5 to -2.75
An ET 40 may be too much to clear the front fender, so a 5mm spacer in the rear with an ET45 would be the best bet.

I need to get adjustable camber plates. These cars need -3 up front for the track maybe as much as -3.5 not to kill the outside shoulder.

 

[R Golf]

I just got an external GPS to hopefully improve the data accuracy of HLT. Hopefully I can use it for some analysis and bring my actual PBs closer to my virtual.

I also converted to an external GPS and I think you'll find it will help significantly. Because the phone GPS has such a low position update rate (frequency) it is almost useless in turns. Phones are 1-2 Hz so it is only gets 1-2 points every second and then connects the dots. This makes turns look like polygons with not many sides and the speeds can be off by a wide margin. Straights are much easier for the phone to calculate.

A good external GPS with a higher frequency fixes this.

Also, targeting virtual laps doesn't always make sense. Many software packages (I believe Harry's included) calculate the virtual lap time by taking the best section times and making the incorrect assumption that they would all connect properly. If you run a section time that is really quick but you come out too hot to properly execute the next section it still counts towards the virtual lap. I think it is better to do side by side videos and individual actual good lap analysis.

 

[jmason]

I just got an external GPS to hopefully improve the data accuracy of HLT. Hopefully I can use it for some analysis and bring my actual PBs closer to my virtual.

Which one?

 

[jmason]

Monitoring my coolant temps on my P3 gauge (not the useless dash gauge) has shown that the water temps are lower than in traffic. At the same time, the oil temps were 250 or higher. I don’t think a higher capacity radiator will help reduce oil temperature significantly.

 

[victorofhavoc]

I did the fender screw mod as a precaution. But they did not rub.

I agree that an oil cooler is required for track work. No question.

A 9” wheel will need a 5mm spacer in the rear to clear the shock tube. In the front some increased camber will help tuck the wheel. -2.5 to -2.75
An ET 40 may be too much to clear the front fender, so a 5mm spacer in the rear with an ET45 would be the best bet.

I need to get adjustable camber plates. These cars need -3 up front for the track maybe as much as -3.5 not to kill the outside shoulder.

Until I figure out what I'm going to do about an oil cooler setup I'm running heavier oil.

I was planning on a 17x9 for front only. I'd run a 17x8 rear, since I don't see too much of a need to run square. Keeps things cheaper for me too .

Yeah, they definitely need -3 or more. -3.5 if on a Hoosier seems appropriate. Above -2.5 on the street though is a lot. Adjustable front plates would allow you to change for track and street, but having driven on the street with adjustable plates before, I wouldn't do it again. My compromise was the 034d+ mounts and even they're a bit rough at times. I wonder what kind of camber I'll get when I add the css swivels....

 

[TXBDan1]

A couple more unsolicited thoughts for you guys:

I agree an oil cooler sounds like the answer based on what you guys are saying. Can you/have you monitored intake air temps? I wonder how the intercooler is holding up. On my mk6 upgrading the intercooler helped on track, but not sure about mk7s.

I used to fuss around with HLT and TrackAddict with external GPS pucks (Dual) and a bluetooth obd2 interface. It's just a fiddly mess imo. I'd recommend getting an Aim Solo and being done with it.

You absolutely need -3.5deg of front camber in these cars. If you zero out the front toe the insides won't wear significantly in daily use. Set it and forget it.

I'd recommend keeping the same wheels/tires at all four corners because you want the ability to rotate wheels/tires, especially so on a FWD car. I know FWD guys that rotate every half day.

Before you go too nuts modifying a nice daily driver, consider a dedicated track rat. It'll be better, safer, and cheaper.

 

[jmason]

As for adjustable camber plates, wouldn’t you have to get an alignment to adjust toe after each change?

With my set up (CSS swivels and the original SuperPro LCA [the ones that increase caster]), I’m at -2 deg static camber.

A precautionary note. Because those LCAs move the ball joint forward, a protrusion on the driver side inner fender wall comes into play. The strut sway bar mount has to match the stock design, or the ball joint at the top of the sway bar end link will hit the protrusion. There is very little clearance, about 1/4”. So no adjustable camber plate with my setup.

 

[Mini7]

Also, targeting virtual laps doesn't always make sense. Many software packages (I believe Harry's included) calculate the virtual lap time by taking the best section times and making the incorrect assumption that they would all connect properly. If you run a section time that is really quick but you come out too hot to properly execute the next section it still counts towards the virtual lap. I think it is better to do side by side videos and individual actual good lap analysis.

That’s a fair comment. At VIR the only place that I see the finish of one split impacting the next would be the end of split 3 going into split 4. That’s a big one as it leads onto the longest straight. I want to be able to compare between laps but also to use the best times splits as a reference to see where the opportunities are. If you can’t replicate the performance then you need to dig into why. You have to have video in conjunction with data. I’ve seen good time splits on mediocre laptimes only to find out that I’ve come up on a slower car or in the recent video, clocked my best split 2 time when pointing an R8 by only for the Audi to slow me going up the uphill Esses see lap 23
https://youtu.be/XYtTYHObs1M

I lost 3-seconds behind the Audi in sector 3 which is a boatload of time in a 20-second sector. This is a high speed momentum part of VIR which can be scary but it is sooo much fun. It has the highest average speed of any split.

There are always variables that come into play. Did the warmer ambient impact power last time at VIR. Did the 270F oil temp derate the engine. I definitely did not get the best from my tires. I couldn’t get my tire pressures dialed in.

It’s important to understand cause and affect on laptimes. Data is helpful to improve as a driver.